Dust and Shadows

The Princess and Goatface

"You slimy little git!" Katerina said, "You never answered my letter!" Smacking Matthew's arm.

"Oh, I'm sorry darling, but how am I suppose to respond to 'I'll never speak to you again Fairchild!'"

Kat rolled her eyes, but continued to smile at him. She completely ignored his outfit because she's use to Matthew wearing ridiculous attires.

"Isn't this a bore?" Matthew asked us. "Everybody here looks like a dolt. I am already in frightful agony, contemplating my wasted youth. Don't speak to me, or I shall break down and sob uncontrollably."

"There, there," said Christopher, patting Matthew's shoulder. "What are you upset about again?"

"Your face, Lightwood," said Matthew, and elbowed him. They laughed until they heard a quiet, "Er, hello."

They turned and behind Matthew was James Herondale. Katerina's heart stopped and for the first time in her life, she was speechless.

She had seen James before at parties, but now, up close to him, she realized how much he looked like his father. Same dark hair, same pale skin, and while he was very skinny, she could tell he would grow into a very well built man. The only difference was their eyes. Uncle Will's was dark blue, while James was a beautiful gold.

"Hello!", said Thomas, knocking her out of her daze.

"Yeah, hi!", Katerina said as well with a smile.

James smiled back, causing Katerina to hold her breathe for a little. Matthew eventually turned to see who they had addressed.

"Jamie Herondale, right?" Matthew drawled.

"I prefer James."

James. James. James. She made a mental note in her head, for next time. She remembered her mother mentioning James was named after his father's former parabatai, James Carstairs. He was now known as Brother Zachariah, but it's been rumored he visits the Herondales regularly. She wasn't quite sure why he became Silent Brother, maybe James will tell her one day.

She remembers the first time she met James's sister, Lucie. Her parents lived in Idris, and her and her siblings didn't visit London often, but her mother did. Mother and James's mother were best friends and regularly wrote to each other and visited each other. Once when she was 6, after a week of begging, she finally convinced her mother to let her go with her to visit. She had been wanting to get to know Aunt Tessa and Uncle Will's children for so long. She heard stories about them and she assumed they'd be exactly like their parents and she could've been close friends with them. When she got to institute Aunt Tessa introduced her to her daughter, Lucie.

Lucy was vibrant, and happy. They instantly clicked and became very good friends, they ran around the institute the whole day, playing and laughing. She hadn't met James, Katerina supposes he'd been reading the whole time but 6 year old her didn't mind. She had met the person who would become her best friend and introduce her to Cordelia Carstairs, her other best friend. The three of them together were unstoppable.

After she finally zoned back in to the boy's conversation, there was a warlock in front of her. He had green skin and white hair, he was Ragnor Fell, the former High Warlock of London.

"Are you Christopher Lightwood?" He asked menacingly.

Christopher, who had his attention on a tree, replied "Hm? I think so." Oh boy.

Ragnor Fell continued to ask if Chris had been dropped on his head as an infant.

Kat turned to Matthew, who had the same idea, and said "Sir," as they both smiled up at Mr. Fell.

"Sir," Katerina said in her most sweetest voice she could muster. "You will have to forgive Christopher. He's trifle absentminded, but he is definitely Christopher."

"It would be very difficult to mistake Christopher for anyone else. I vouch for him, and he can't deny it."

Ragnor looked between us. "Are you two Matthew Fairchild and Katerina Lightwood?"

"I could deny it if I liked. I could deny anything if I liked. But my name certainly is Matthew. It has been Matthew for years."

"What?" Ragnor looked as if he had fallen into a pit of lunatics and couldn't get out.

Katerina opened her mouth to reply, but James beat her to it. "He's quoting Oscar Wilde, sir."

They had a short conversation on Oscar Wilde, until Ragnor Fell interrupted confirming that Matthew and her were responsible for Christopher and his decisions. As soon as he was out of earshot, Thomas turned to the group and said, "He was green!"

"Nothing gets passed you, dingus." Kat retorted.

James and Matthew continued their conversation about Oscar Wilde, when once again, they were interrupted by Alastair Carstairs.

Katerina hated Alastair, he might've been her best friend's brother but he was nothing like Cordelia. He was rude and ignorant of the world. He saw himself superior to others and Katerina hated that. He also had a habit of calling her princess, though she has no idea why.

"-At least you have tongue in your head, unlike this one." Alastair said, glaring daggers at James.

Her blood started boiling, James hadn't done anything!

"Yes, you, the one with the peculiar eyes. What are you gawping at?"

"I-"

"What's your name?"

"H-Herondale"

"By the Angel, his eyes are awful," said one of Alastair's friends.

That's when Katerina decided to step in. "Oh? Like you're so good looking? Please, you look like you've fallen on your face way too many times."

"Don't involve yourself in things that aren't your concern, princess!" sneered Alastair.

She was, of course, ignored after that, and James was given a new nickname, Goatface.